Rwanda
The Land of a Thousand Hills

Volcanoes NP at dawn. The volcanic mist burning off as you track silverbacks through bamboo. Rwanda's gorilla experience is Africa's most intimate, and no one in East Africa makes the permit process smoother than us.

Africa's Conservation Success Story

Rwanda Gorilla Safari

Rwanda is a small country sheltering an outsized share of the planet's rarest wildlife. Rwanda's national parks are managed with exceptional conservation rigour. The Virunga volcanoes rise along the northwest border, home to a significant share of the world's last mountain gorillas, shared between Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC, accessed through gorilla trekking permits that cost $1,500 and sell out months ahead. In the southwest, Nyungwe Forest is one of Africa's oldest montane rainforests, covering 1,013 km² and harbouring a wealth of primate species. In the east, Akagera is one of the continent's most celebrated conservation recoveries: lions reintroduced in 2015, black rhinos in 2017, completing a Big Five absent for a generation. See our guide to gorilla trekking for timing advice. Four parks, four landscapes, all reachable in a single week.

Volcanoes National Park shelters mountain gorillas across habituated families. Each permit costs $1,500 and sells out months ahead in peak season

Each gorilla trek is capped at a few visitors per family with exactly one hour in their presence. Combine trekking with a Virunga volcano hike for one of Africa's most complete highland experiences

Golden monkeys are restricted entirely to the Virunga volcanic mountains, making Volcanoes NP one of just three places on earth where they can be tracked in the bamboo zone

Nyungwe Forest is estimated at over 25,000 years old and covers 1,013 km² of continuous montane rainforest, home to a wealth of primates and Albertine Rift endemic birds

Akagera National Park reintroduced lions in 2015 and black rhinos in 2017, completing a Big Five population absent from Rwanda for a generation, one of Africa's great conservation stories

Rwanda's four parks span every major ecosystem and can all be visited within a single 7-day itinerary, making it one of the most time-efficient safari destinations in Africa. Rwanda pairs naturally with Uganda on a combined primate circuit

Mountain Gorillas

Volcanoes NP

National Parks

Volcanoes

5 to 10

Days Ideal

The Wild Places Inside Rwanda

Rwanda's Parks & Forest Reserves

The Creatures You'll Track

Who Lives in Rwanda's Wild

Mountain Gorilla family in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Mountain Gorillas

The Virunga volcanoes shelter a significant share of the world's last mountain gorillas. Rwanda's habituated families are visited by a few people at a time, for exactly one hour. Few encounters anywhere on earth combine this level of intimacy with this degree of careful, deliberate management.

Golden Monkey in the bamboo zone, Volcanoes NP, Rwanda

Golden Monkeys

Restricted entirely to the high-altitude bamboo of the Virunga volcanic mountains, the golden monkey is tracked in Volcanoes NP where habituated troops move through the forest at dawn. Their vivid gold-orange colouring against black limbs makes them unmistakable. Rwanda is one of only three places on earth where they can be tracked.

Chimpanzees

Nyungwe's habituated chimpanzee groups range across one of Africa's oldest unbroken forests, sharing 1,013 km² with Africa's largest Angolan colobus colony, whose troops move through the high canopy and can be heard before they are seen. The 160m canopy walkway provides a view straight into their world.

Black Rhinoceros

Absent from Rwanda for a generation, black rhinos were reintroduced to Akagera in 2017 and again in 2019 as part of one of Africa's most closely watched rewilding programmes. Their survival alongside newly reestablished lion prides is proof of what deliberate, well-resourced conservation can achieve in under a decade.

Read the Season Before You Book

When to Come to Rwanda

Peak season offers optimal wildlife viewing and dry trail conditions. Green season provides lush scenery and fewer crowds.

Jan

Peak

Feb

Peak

Mar

Good

Apr

Off peak

May

Off peak

Jun

Peak

Jul

Peak

Aug

Peak

Sep

Peak

Oct

Good

Nov

Off peak

Dec

Peak

Peak Season: best wildlife & weather

Good Season: great value, greener landscapes

Off peak: possible but wetter

Tailor-Made for Rwanda

Tailor-Made Rwanda Safaris

4 DAYS · 3 NIGHTS

4 Days Akagera Wildlife Safari

Akagera savannah game drives for elephant and giraffe, with a Lake Ihema boat safari and night drive.

View Journey →

4 DAYS · 3 NIGHTS

4 Days Chimpanzees of Rwanda

Chimpanzee tracking and the famous canopy walk in ancient Nyungwe, plus the royal King's Palace Museum.

View Journey →

4 DAYS · 3 NIGHTS

4 Days Rwanda Gorilla Safari

Mountain gorilla trekking in the misty Virunga volcanoes, the Dian Fossey campus and optional golden monkeys.

View Journey →

View All Rwanda Safaris →

Bespoke African Safaris Awaits

Explore More Destinations

Kenya

Migration · Plains · Coast

Explore Kenya →

Tanzania

Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Zanzibar

Explore Tanzania →

Uganda

Gorillas · Chimps · Wild Africa

Explore Uganda →

Rwanda

Rwanda. The Safari That Changes Everything.

Especially June to September. We secure your permit, match you with the right gorilla family group, and build the lodge selection around it. The sooner you reach out, the better your options.

Enquire →

+256 707 916 185 | +256 705 129 090

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does gorilla trekking take in Rwanda?

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park typically takes between 2 and 6 hours depending on where the gorilla family is located on any given day. Once you locate the gorilla group, you spend exactly one hour with them. The hikes are generally shorter than in Uganda, making Rwanda popular with travellers who prefer less strenuous trekking.

What is the best time to visit Rwanda for gorilla trekking?

Rwanda's two dry seasons, June to September and January to February, are the most popular times for gorilla trekking. The trails in Volcanoes National Park are drier and easier during these months. However, gorilla trekking is available year-round and permits are required regardless of season.

How much does a gorilla trekking permit cost in Rwanda?

A gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs USD 1,500 per person per trek. This fee goes directly to the Rwanda Development Board and supports gorilla conservation and local community programmes. Orika Africa handles permit booking and includes it as part of a complete Rwanda safari package.

What else can I do in Rwanda besides gorilla trekking?

Beyond gorilla trekking, Rwanda offers golden monkey tracking in Volcanoes National Park, chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest, canopy walks above Nyungwe's ancient rainforest, boat trips on Lake Kivu, and a visit to Kigali's Genocide Memorial. Rwanda's compact size means all of these are accessible within a 5 to 7 day itinerary.